Improvement in canceling devices



H; McDOUGALL.

CANCELING DEVICE.

Patented March 7, 1878.

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INVENTOR.

N- PETERS. PHOTOMTHOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON. D, 04

UNITED ST TE HUGE MoDOUGALL, or BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN CA'NCELING DEVICES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. I 74,374, dated March 7, 1876; application filed January 20, 1876.

To all whom it may'concern 'vention, reference being had to the accompanying drawing making part of this specification, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, in which- Figure l is a side view of my invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the same, the cuttersbeing thrown out. Fig. 3 is a view showing the construction of the type employed by me. Fig. 4. is a front view of the datingstamp and canceling device.

In the drawing, like parts of the invention are pointed out by the same letters of reference.

The nature of the present invention consists in the construction, as more fully hereinafter set forth, of a new and useful dating-stamp and canceling device,- for use in postoflices in dating letters and canceling the stamps upon the same, the object being to combine with a datingstamp a canceling device for canceling the stamps placed upon mail-letters by cutting away a portion of the stamp or stamps used, as more fully herein described.

To enable those skilled in the arts to make anduse my invention I will describe its construction andbperation.

A shows the handle of my improved implement attached to a tubular receptacle, B, slotted as at 12', within which is received a tubular spindle, G, moving freely Within the tubular receptacle B, its movement being governed by the length of the slots b in the same. The tubular spindle C is retained in position within the receptacle B by means of screws 0 inserted hit, and the heads of which have .a bearing in the slots 1). Within this tubular spindle G is inserted a spiral spring, D, bearing at one end upon the top plate of the spindle, while a washer or disk of metal, d, is placed below its lower end and within the tubular spindle O. E shows the cutters of my device, formed of the curved plates of metal,

. sition within the forward end of the tubular spindle O by a pin, f, passed through them;

and the spindle, the sides of the spindle being slotted to receive them and admit of their plate of metal, F, in which may be properly secured a letter or figure, or this letter or figf ure may be engraved on this plate of metal,

employed to designate the station or sub post'- office (so to speak) at which the letter is mailed, and to this plate of metal is attached, forming as it were a continuation of the same, the dating-stamp G, preferably made circular in form, having engraved upon its face-or types may be inserted in it for the same purpose-the name of the city, town, or post-office where the letter was mailed. This circular plate of metal is slotted, as clearly shown in Fig. 4: of the drawing, and within these slots are inserted types to indicate the month, day of the month, and year, designating the day of mailing. The circular plate of metal G has a portion of its back cut away, and threaded upon its interior, into which is screwed a threaded base-plate, H, provided with a bandle, I, as clearly shown in Fig. 1 of the draw- 1ng.

The mode of securing types now used for the purposes just set forth is by means of a screw or screws passed through the side of the dating-stamp, and having a bearing upon the side of the last type, or upon the metal furniture placed between the last type and the inner side of the dating-stamp. Types so secured are apt to drop out, and to provide a more permanent means of holding the types in position is part of my present invention. To carry out this portion of my invention I provide the types 0, used with a base broader than the body of the type, as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawing, so that the types thus made shall have the appearance of a T inverted, and insert them within the slotted portions of the plate of metal G, from the back of the same, and then place the base-plate H in position in the plate G, and directly beneath the types. This prevents the types falling out downward, as the plate H forms a bed or support for them; and, as the base is broader than thebody of the type, if the stamp be turned PATENTCQFFIGE.

over the types cannot drop or fall out,'as-th e' broad bases bear upon the slotted portions of the plate G.

Such being the construction, the operation may be thus described. The proper types having been secured in the dating-stamp, and the same having been inked from an ink-pador otherwise, the implement is ready for use. operator makes use of the stamp in the usual manner, namely, by bringing the same down upon the letters to be stamped, and at the same time forces down the handle A and tnbn-. lar receptacle B, in which is the tubular'spin dle O, carrying the cutters E. As the handle A and tubular receptacle B are forced down,- the tipped portion 1 of the tubular receptacle bears upon the under or back portions of the cutters E, and the motion continuing, these cutters, moving upon the same center, are

forced inward until their forward ends passeach other, and the teeth 0 upon their faces are brought in linewith each other, cutting away a portion of the stamp placed upon the letter or other mail matter, and thus canceling the same. During this movement of the The thedisk or washer d, thro'ws out the cutters E to their former position and away from each other.

The features of my invention will be found to consist of a stamping and canceling device combined in one and the sameimplement, and

in a novel means of forming the types used is enti rel y prevented.

While I have shown but two cutters in my present invention, I am aware that, if deemed desirable, an additional number, say, four outters in all, may be employed, the metal employed in their manufacture being thinned,

and the mode of constructing and operating them being the same as now shown.

Having now set forth my invention, what I claim as new is The combination of a handle, A, tipped tubular receptacle B, tubular spindle G, spiral spring D, and disk of metal 01, with the cutters E, constructed and operating substantially'as and for the purposes set forth.

HUGH MGDOUGALL.

In presence of R. A. ADAMS, A. SIDNEY DOANE. 

